PERISH IN THE PALM by Kari Lee Townsend, review, guest post and giveaway
Perish in the Palm
by Kari Lee Townsend
Perish in the Palm
(A Sunny Meadows Mystery) (Volume 4)
4th in Series
Cozy Mystery
Paperback: 274 pages
ISBN-13: 978-151208194
E-Book ASIN: B011AXSMDM
Synopsis
Sunny’s life is finally on track. Her fortune-telling business in the quaint town of Divinity, New York is running smoothly, her parents have finally stopped interfering, and her boyfriend Detective Mitch Stone has moved in with her. But then her life derails, leaving the palm of her hand empty and her dreams just out of reach. With Sunny’s mischievous cat Morty under foot and quirky Granny Gert flitting around, cohabitation with Mitch becomes nearly impossible. Then Sunny’s parents show up for her best friend’s wedding, causing all sorts of trouble. Sunny’s future is put on hold when the innkeeper’s lifeline is literally cut short at the reception, and Sunnys’ mother is named the prime suspect. Sunny must use her clairvoyant abilities to clear her mother’s name and take her life back in her own hands before the real killer gives a whole new meaning to ‘till death do us part…
My Thoughts:
This is the 4th book in the Sunny Meadows Mystery. I love this series and the author. Sunny is helping her friend with her wedding with involves her parents showing up which never goes well. Sunny’s mother is accused of murder when a person dies at the reception. Between Morty and his freakiness and Mitch over protectiveness of Sunny you can’t go wrong with this twister of a story.
Guest Post:
My Journey to Publication
Getting published is one of the most rewarding yet difficult things to do. I truly believe being a writer is who we are and not just what we do. I have always written. When I was little, I wrote poems and short stories. Then as I grew older, I went into English and teaching because I loved to read and write. After I got hooked on reading romance novels, I found myself changing the endings or asking myself “what if” about many aspects of the book. It finally occurred to me that maybe I should try writing a book of my own.
My first attempt at writing a novel was a western romance. I never finished it, and trust me it will never see the light of day. My next attempt was a cowboy romance that took me five years to write and ended up being about five books because I refused to give up on it. I made all the classic mistakes. Later I revamped the story and finally landed an agent so I guess it was worth it, though I would not recommend that process. Accept when it’s time to walk away from a manuscript and move on. My next novel was a romantic comedy followed by a mom lit. None of those books sold.
Editors always said they loved my voice and the writing was solid, but they either already had something similar on their list or they were looking for something else to fill a slot. It was difficult not to become frustrated. That was when it dawned on me that you could be a great writer with a fabulous story but the publishing game was all about luck and timing. You have to have a plot that fills a need and fits into a slot on a publisher’s list at that time. And if you try to write to their needs, by the time you finish your story, chances are their needs have changed. I learned to pay attention to the market, keep up with industry news, and write smarter and faster. Never sit back and wait for an editor’s response. Jump into your next idea so that if an editor says they like your voice and asks what else you have, you will be ready.
It took me sixteen years to get published, three of which were with my agent. I started trying different genres and writing several partials to see what might stick. My agent landed a three-book deal on just a partial for my teen superhero series. Then just six months later she submitted a cozy mystery for me, but once again the editor loved my voice and asked what else I had. That was when I came up with the Fortune Teller Mystery series. My agent landed me another three-book deal on just a synopsis, and the rest is history. Since then she’s sold two other mysteries for me, and we’ve self-published my romance novels so that everything I’ve written is now available.
My latest venture is in women’s fiction, so cross your fingers and hope I hear more good news soon. With the market constantly changing, new doors have opened up in traditional, digital, and self-publishing. Authors need to be willing to change as well. Be open and be flexible. You never know what you might enjoy writing and find success in. The point is to never give up. So yes getting published is hard, but staying published is even harder, yet it’s still the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done.
Thank you so much for having me here today. It’s been a blast. If you’re a reader, happy reading and enjoy! If you’re a writer, I hope to see you on the shelves someday 
